Dummy book for library-shelves.



No. 861,620. PATENTED JULY 23, 1907. P. B. COULTER. DUMMY BOOK FOR LIBRARY SHELVES.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 10 1906.

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DUMMY BOOK FOR LIBRARY-SHELVES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed May 10, 1906. Serial No. 316,205.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. GoULrnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dummy Books for Library-Shelves; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in spacing and marking devices for use on library shelves to take the place of books removed therefrom and indicate the whereabouts of the same.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, durable and inexpensive device of this character which may be readily adjusted to occupy the space of one or more absent books and to facilitate keeping track or record of such books as are loaned or in use.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawingsz -Figure 1 is a perspective View of one of my improved dummy books, showing it adjusted to occupy the space of two books; Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the same; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the rear or inner side of the device, showing parts broken away to more clearly illustrate the construction; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the outer face of a slightly modified form of the invention, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view through the same, showing it folded.

My improved dummy book consists of a back portion 1 and two side portions 2, 3 and it resembles the back, and two outer side coverings of an ordinary book. The sides 2, 3 maybe of any desired size and shape, and the back 1 may be composed of one or more sections which are hingedly or flexibly connected to each other and to the sides 2, 3. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, of the drawings, this back portion 1 consists of three sections 4, 5, 6, each one of which may be equal in width to the thickness of a book. The parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 may be made of any material, but I preferably employ cardboard or the like, and flexibly connect them by one or more transversely or horizontally extending strips or pieces 7 of some flexible metal, such as tin or copper, which will allow said parts to be bent at right angles to each other and which will retain the same in such bent positions. These strips or pieces 7 may be of any size and shape, and any number of them may be provided They may be SGClllOd upon the inner faces of the back and side sections or embedded in grooves or recesses in said parts, or they may be in the form of wires or a wire fabric incorporated in the substance of which the side and back sections are composed. These parts or sections may be further united by a pliu'ality of strips 8 of tape or other fabric, and the inner faces of said parts 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and of the strips 7, 8 may be covered by an inner lining 9 of light leather, cloth, paper or the like which may be glued, pasted or otherwise secured. If desired, the inner face of the device and also the outer faces of the sides 2, 3 may contain advertising matter of any description, but upon the outer faces of the sections of the back 1 I preferably provide celluloid or the 4 like 10, upon which pencil marks may be readily placed and erased. If desired, these strips of celluloid may be printed as shown, and blank spaces may be left to be filled in in pencil with the number or title of a book, the name and address of the party to whom the book is loaned, the date upon which it was loaned and any other information which will assist the owner in locating and regaining the book. Instead of making the back portion 1 of sections which correspond in width to the widths of books they are to take the place of, I may make the back of a broad central section 11 and a plurality of narrow sections 12 which are arranged upon each side of the section 11 between the two sides of the device. Any number of these narrow sections 1.2 may be provided, so that the device may be bent to permit it to occupy the space of a book of any thickness. The main section 11 of the book corresponds to one of the sections 4, 5, 6, and upon its outer face I provide means for holding a removable record card 13 which takes the place of the celluloid strip 10. This card 13, which may be printed as shown or in any suitable manner, is retained in a-pocket formed by two transverse strips 14, 15, the former of which is secured at its ends and the latter of which is secured at both its ends and its bottom so as to form a pocket. It will be seen that the card is inserted beneath the strip 14 and then into such pocket. In all other respects than those mentioned, the form of the device shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings is the same in construction as that of the one first described. I

I The construction, use and advantages of the invention will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

It will be seen that the use of the flexible or pliable metal strips in hingedly connecting the parts or sections of the device retains them rigidly in adjusted position and renders the device well adapted for the purpose intended.

The device can be manufactured at a comparatively small cost, so that it is well adapted for use in advertising.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not wish to be limited to the precise construction herein set forth, since various changes in the form, proportion and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent is:

1. An indicating device consisting of a dummy book comprising side sections, a plurality of back sections, and means including flexible inelastic metal strips, connecting said sections together for angular adjustment.

2. An indicating device consisting of a dummy book comprising; a plurality of back and side sections, transversely extending flexible strips hingedly connecting said sections upon their inner faces, a lining covering the inner faces of said sections, and means for placing; a re movable record upon the outer face of one of the back sections, substantially as described. a

3. An indicating device consisting of a dummy book comprising side and back sections and means including flexible inelastic metal strips connecting said sections together for angular adjustment and to hold said sections in adjusted position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK E. COULTER. 

